U.S. patent application number 12/440359 was filed with the patent office on 2009-10-29 for automatic deboning method and apparatus for deboning bone laden meat.
This patent application is currently assigned to MAYEKAWA MFG., CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Osamu Goto, Shozo Kozu, Toshihide Takahashi, Tatsuya Umino, Tomohiro Uyama.
Application Number | 20090270021 12/440359 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38235151 |
Filed Date | 2009-10-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090270021 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Umino; Tatsuya ; et
al. |
October 29, 2009 |
AUTOMATIC DEBONING METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DEBONING BONE LADEN
MEAT
Abstract
A de-boning method and apparatus for automating incision making
to the meat of bone laden meat and scraping operation of meat from
the bone laden meat by a meat separator, are proposed. The
apparatus has a clamping device 1 for clamping an end part `d` of
unconcealed part of the bone of bone laden meat, a meat separator
31 having meat scraping plates 317a, 317b for pinching a bone of
the bone laden meat, a cutter 33 located between the clamping
device 1 and the meat separator 31, a clamping device lifting means
30, and rotation drive means 303 and 313 for rotating for rotating
the clamping device 1 and the meat separator 31 in synchronism with
each other, whereby spiral incision is made to a part of the meat
of the bone laden meat by rotating the clamping device 1, and
remaining part of the meat is scraped off as the clamping device is
lifted while rotating in synchronism with the meat scraper.
Inventors: |
Umino; Tatsuya; (Saku,
JP) ; Uyama; Tomohiro; (Hiroshima, JP) ;
Takahashi; Toshihide; (Brussels, BE) ; Goto;
Osamu; (Saku, JP) ; Kozu; Shozo; (Saku,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ROSSI, KIMMS & McDOWELL LLP.
20609 Gordon Park Square, Suite 150
Ashburn
VA
20147
US
|
Assignee: |
MAYEKAWA MFG., CO., LTD.
Koto-ku, Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
38235151 |
Appl. No.: |
12/440359 |
Filed: |
May 2, 2007 |
PCT Filed: |
May 2, 2007 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP2007/059805 |
371 Date: |
March 6, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
452/136 ;
452/157 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A22C 17/004
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
452/136 ;
452/157 |
International
Class: |
A22C 17/00 20060101
A22C017/00; A22C 17/04 20060101 A22C017/04; A22C 17/02 20060101
A22C017/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 17, 2006 |
JP |
2006-283101 |
Oct 17, 2006 |
JP |
2006-283102 |
Claims
1. A method of de-boning a bone laden meat hanging with an end part
of unconcealed part of the bone clamped with a clamping device by
lifting up the bone laden meat in a state the bone laden meat is
pinched under the end part by a meat separator having a set of meat
scraper plates which pinches always elastically the bone of the
bone laden meat below the ankle part following change of size of
the bone as the bone laden meat is lifted up in order to scrape off
the meat part of the bone laden meat, wherein the bone laden meat
is lifted up while being rotated so that a part of the meat
including tendons are cut and scraped by spiral incision with a
cutter located under the clamping part above the meat separator
caused by the rotation of the bone laden meat, and wherein the
remaining meat is scraped off by the meat separator while allowing
the meat separator to rotate in synchronism with the bone laden
meat as the bone laden meat is further lifted up.
2. An apparatus for de-boning a bone laden meat, the apparatus
having a clamping device for clamping an end part of unconcealed
part of the bone to hang the bone laden meat, and a meat separator
having a set of meat scraper plates which pinches always
elastically the bone of the bone laden meat below the end part
following change of size of the bone as the bone laden meat is
lifted up, thereby scraping off meat part of the bone laden meat,
wherein are provided a cutter between the clamping device and meat
separator, a lifting means for lifting the clamping device, and a
rotating means for rotating the clamping device and the meat
separator in synchronism with each other, whereby a part of the
meat is scraped off as the clamping device is lifted up while
incision is made spirally to the part of the meat including tendons
owing to the rotation of the bone laden meat, then remaining part
of the meat is scraped off by means of the meat separator rotating
in synchronism with the meat separator as the bone laden meat is
lifted up.
3. An apparatus for de-boning a bone laden meat as claimed in claim
2, wherein a cutter guard is provided to cover the upper surface of
the cutter, the cutter guard being able to be shifted so that
exertion of the cutting edge of the cutter from the cutter guard is
adjustable.
4. An apparatus for de-boning a bone laden meat as claimed in claim
2 or 3, wherein the bone laden meat is an arm part meat block of a
dressed carcass and the clamping device clamps an exposed end part
of lower forelimb bones to hang the arm part meat block, and
wherein an auxiliary damper is provided to the clamping device for
holding an exposed end part of an upper forelimb bone of the arm
part meat block after the meat around the lower forelimb bones is
scraped off by the spiral incision, thereby preventing a joint
between the lower forelimb bones and upper forelimb bone from being
dislocated.
5. An apparatus for de-boning a bone laden meat as claimed in claim
4, wherein are provided a measuring means for measuring length of
the arm part meat block clamped by the clamping device and hanging
from it from the clamped position to the lower end of the arm part
meat block, a plurality of programs for computing a lift amount to
be lifted by the lifting means and a shifting amount of the cutter
guard in correspondence with measured length of the arm part meat
block, and a selecting means for selecting a program which
corresponds with the measured length of the arm part meat block,
whereby de-boning operation is carried out depending on
individually different size of the arm part meat block by
controlling lifting amount of the clamping device and shifting
amount of the cutter guard in accordance with the measured length
of the arm part meat block.
6. An automatic de-boning apparatus for de-boning a bone laden meat
having a first bone segment and a second bone segment, wherein a
section (hanging section) for de-boning the first bone segment of
the bone laden meat in a state it is hanged from a clamping device,
and a section (conveyor section) for de-boning the second bone
segment of the bone laden meat in a state it is placed on a
conveyor are provided, whereby meat around the first bone segment
is scraped off by using a de-boning apparatus of claim 2 after
incision is made in longitudinal direction along the first bone
segment in a state the bone laden meat is hanged in the hanging
section, meat from which the first bone segment is removed is
placed on the conveyor with thin meat on the second bone segment
upside, the thin meat which is separated from the surface of the
second bone segment by making incision between the thin meat and
the surface of the second bone segment, is turned over to expose
the upper surface of the second bone segment, incision is made
along the side contour of the second bone segment, then the second
bone segment is scraped off from meat adhering on the rear surface
of the second bone segment in the conveyor section.
7. An automatic de-boning apparatus for de-boning a bone laden meat
as claimed in claim 6, wherein are provided in the hanging section
a transfer means for transferring the bone laden meat
intermittently to succeeding stations and a means for making at
least incision and a means for scraping off the meat around the
first bone segment after the incision is made to the meat.
8. An automatic de-boning apparatus for de-boning a bone laden meat
as claimed in claim 6 or 7, wherein conveyors are provided in the
conveyor section, and wherein an exposing means for exposing the
upper surface of the second bone segment, a second incision making
means for making incision along the side contour of the second bone
segment, and a second separating means for scraping off the second
bone segment are provided for each of the conveyors.
9. An automatic de-boning apparatus for de-boning a bone laden meat
as claimed in claim 8, wherein the second incision making means has
a cutter for making incision, a computing unit for determining
depth of incision to be made based on distance of descent of a
sensor descended from above the upper surface of the second bone
segment until the sensor end terminal contacts the upper surface of
the second bone segment, and a cutter drive device for moving the
cutter in correspondence with result of the computation by the
computer unit, whereby the incision is made in accordance with
individually different size of the second bone segment.
10. An automatic de-boning apparatus for de-boning a bone laden
meat as claimed in claim 9, wherein a vertical position detector of
the cutter is provided to the cutter drive device, thereby the
cutter functioning also as a sensor end terminal.
11. An automatic de-boning apparatus for de-boning a bone laden
meat as claimed in claim 8, wherein the exposing means for exposing
the upper surface of the second bone segment includes a thin
flexible cutter provided in the hanging section for making incision
between the thin meat adhering on a surface of the second bone
segment and the surface by advancing the flexible cutter along the
surface of the second bone segment, and a bar member provided in
the conveyor section to turn over the thin meat separated from the
surface of the second bone segment in the hanging section and lying
on the surface by allowing the bar member to contact the rear
surface of the thin meat thereby pushing the rear surface as the
bone laden meat is transferred on a conveyor in the conveyor
section.
12. An automatic de-boning apparatus for de-boning a bone laden
meat as claimed in claim 11, wherein the incision making section
are provided with a length measuring means for measuring distance
from the clamped part of the bone laden meat clamped by the
clamping device and hanged to the lower end of the bone laden meat,
a plurality of programs in each of which is established beforehand
a trajectory of movement of the flexible cutter in correspondence
with length of the bone laden meat, a selecting means for selecting
a program from among the plural programs in correspondence with the
measured length, and a means for driving the cutter under the
selected program, whereby the incision is made between the thin
meat and the surface of the second bone segment in correspondence
with individually different size of the second bone segment.
13. An automatic de-boning apparatus for de-boning a bone laden
meat as claimed in claim 8, wherein the second bone segment has a
cartilage part, and a plate member is provided in the conveyor
section to hold down the upper part of the cartilage part when meat
is scraped off from the lower surface of the second bone segment,
thereby preventing the cartilage from being damaged when scraping
off the meat.
14. An automatic de-boning apparatus for de-boning a bone laden
meat as claimed in claim 6, wherein the bone laden meat is an arm
part meat block of a slaughtered animal halved through its spine
with cervical vertebrae, shoulder butt and spareribs removed, the
first bone segment including lower forelimb bones and an upper
forelimb bone, and the second bone segment being a shoulder blade.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] This invention relates to an automatic de-boning method and
apparatus for removing bones from bone laden meat such as an arm
part meat block or thigh part meat block of a slaughtered domestic
animal, with which a high level of automation and high yield rate
of meat can be achieved by automating processes of incision making
and meat scraping-off by a meat separator.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] The inventors of the present application proposed a
semi-automated pig thigh de-boning apparatus and method of
de-boning pig thigh using the apparatus in Japanese Laid-Open
Patent Application No. 2000-106818 (patent literature 1). In the
de-boning apparatus, preprocessing, lower thigh bone removing
operation, and thigh bone removing operation are carried out while
the ankle part of a pig thigh is held by a damper attached to a
transfer chain and transferred in a hanged state through each
station.
[0003] In the fully automated step succeeding the preprocessing
step of the de-boning apparatus, the pig thigh (work) hanging from
the damper is made incision around the lower thigh and thigh with a
cutter while scraping off the meat adhering to the bones with a
meat separator. By this, biological tissue such as meat, muscle,
and tendons adhering to the bones is cut, and meat is separated
from the bones step by step. These incisions are made at determined
positions in longitudinal direction of the bones by rotating the
work.
[0004] Further, the inventors also proposed a de-boning apparatus
arm part meat block and shoulder butt of a slaughtered animal in
W2004-068953 (patent literature 2). In this apparatus,
preprocessing of removing shoulder butt, spareribs, and lower
forelimb bones is done, and then incision is made around the upper
forelimb bone and shoulder blade. Like this, preprocessing is
performed to the maximum extent and then automatic de-boning is
limited to the minimum necessary extent, that is, only removing of
shoulder blade and upper forelimb bone is automated. This apparatus
is suitable to middle to small scaled meat processing factories
featured in space-saving and cost-saving.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
[0005] However, with the method of de-boning of the thigh part of a
pig disclosed in the patent literature 1, preprocessing of incision
making to the lower thigh and thigh is carried out manually. In the
de-boning apparatus of arm part meat block disclosed in the patent
literature 2, incision making around the upper forelimb bone and
shoulder blade is carried out manually. Therefore, automation level
is not so high in both the patent literature 1 and 2. Incision
making along the surface of the bones of the thigh part and arm
part meat block must be performed without allowing cutters to bite
into the bones. Further, three dimensional contours of the bones
are complicated, for they have bent parts, twisted parts, plumpy
parts, etc. Therefore, it has bee difficult to automate incision
making along the bones maintaining accuracy without bruising or
scathing the bones.
[0006] With the de-boning apparatus disclosed in the patent
literature 1, meat separating process by the meat separator is
divided into many steps in order to prevent clogging of meat at the
pinching part of the meat separator, separating stroke in each step
is small and repeated pinching operation is necessary, so many sets
of combination of meat separator and work lifting device are
required, as a result the apparatus become large scaled, many
processing steps are necessary, and increase time is needed for
processing.
[0007] The invention was made in light of problems mentioned above,
and aims to provide a method and apparatus for removing bones from
an arm part meat block, thigh part meat block, etc. of a
slaughtered animal, with which incision making that has
conventionally been operated manually is automated to increase
operation efficiency and meat separating can be carried out in an
expeditious way.
[0008] Further, the invention aims to perform accurate incision
making operation to attain high yield of meat, by automating
incision making performed manually as preprocessing in the
past.
[0009] To attain the object, the present invention proposes a
method of de-boning a bone laden meat hanging with an end part of
unconcealed part of the bone clamped with a clamping device by
lifting up the bone laden meat in a state the bone laden meat is
pinched under the end part by meat separator having a set of meat
scraper plates which pinches always elastically the bone of the
bone laden meat below the end part following change of size of the
bone as the bone laden meat is lifted up in order to scrape off the
meat part of the bone laden meat, wherein the bone laden meat is
lifted up while being rotated so that a part of the meat including
tendons is cut and scraped by spiral incision with a cutter located
under the clamping part above the meat separator caused by the
rotation of the bone laden meat, and wherein the remaining meat is
scraped off by the meat separator while allowing the meat separator
to rotate in synchronism with the bone laden meat as the bone laden
meat is further lifted up.
[0010] Further, the invention proposes to implement the method an
apparatus for de-boning a bone laden meat, the apparatus having a
clamping device for clamping an end part of unconcealed part of the
bone to hang the bone laden meat, and a meat separator having a set
of meat scraper plates which pinches always elastically the bone of
the bone laden meat below the end part following change of size of
the bone as the bone laden meat is lifted up, thereby scraping off
meat part of the bone laden meat, wherein are provided a cutter
between the clamping device and meat separator, a lifting means for
lifting the clamping device, and a rotating means for rotating the
clamping device and the meat separator in synchronism with each
other, whereby a part of the meat is scraped off as the clamping
device is lifted up while incision is made spirally to the part of
the meat including tendons owing to the rotation of the bone laden
meat, then remaining part of the meat is scraped off by means of
the meat separator rotating in synchronism with the meat separator
as the bone laden meat is lifted up.
[0011] According to the method and apparatus of the invention, as
incision is made spirally to meat around bones, biological tissue
such as tendon, muscle, and meat can be cut with certainty even at
the joint part where tendons adhere firmly. Further, the bone laden
meat is lifted up while making incision spirally, so the tendon at
the joint part can be cut without fail, and the scraping off of
meat is performed by the meat separator by further lifting up the
bone laden meat, clogging of meat at the pinching part of the meat
separator does not occur and incision making around bones and
scraping-off of meat can be performed in one operation
continuously.
[0012] It is preferable that a cutter guard is provided to cover
the upper surface of the cutter and the cutter guard can be shifted
so that exertion of the cutting edge of the cutter from the cutter
guard is adjustable. As incision is made spirally while lifting the
bone laden meat, there is possibility that shearing force, i.e.
meat scraping force exerting on the cutter increases and causes
breakage of the cutter when depth of incision is excessively large.
Providing the cutter guard can prevent this.
[0013] As exertion of the cutting edge of the cutter from the
cutter guard can be adjusted by shifting the cutter guard, depth of
incision can be restricted. When large force is required such as
when making incision at the joint part, the cutter guard is shifted
backward to increase the exertion of the cutting end of the cutter
from the cutter guard. As cutting depth can be adjusted in
accordance with cutting force required, incision can be made
smoothly even at the part where large cutting force is required
while occurrence of breakage of the cutter is prevented.
[0014] When the bone laden meat is an arm part meat block of a
dressed carcass, the clamping device clamps an exposed end part of
lower forelimb bones to hang the arm part meat block, and an
auxiliary damper is provided to the clamping device for holding an
exposed end part of an upper forelimb bone of the arm part meat
block after the meat around the lower forelimb bones is scraped off
by the spiral incision. By holding the upper forelimb by the
auxiliary clamper, dislocation of the joint between the lower
forelimb bones and upper forelimb bone is prevented when the bone
laden meat is further lifted up to scrape off meat from the upper
forelimb bone by the meat scraper.
[0015] It is suitable to compose the apparatus such that, a
measuring means for measuring length of the arm part meat block
clamped by the clamping device and hanging from it from the clamped
position to the lower end of the arm part meat block, a plurality
of programs for computing a lift amount to be lifted by the lifting
means and a shifting amount of the cutter guard in correspondence
with measured length of the arm part meat block, and a selecting
means for selecting a program which corresponds with the measured
length of the arm part meat block, are provided, whereby de-boning
operation is carried out depending on individually different size
of the arm part meat block by controlling lifting amount of the
clamping device and shifting amount of the cutter guard in
accordance with the measured length of the arm part meat block.
[0016] With this construction, depth of cut when incision is made
spirally can be controlled in accordance with difference in size of
individual bone laden meat, so incision of proper depth can be done
according to size of the bone laden meat. Therefore, remnant meat
on the bones is reduced resulting high yield of meat and at the
same time excessive force due to meat scraping action of the cutter
can be evaded resulting in smooth incision making.
[0017] The automatic de-boning apparatus for de-boning a bone laden
meat having a first bone segment and a second bone segment
according to the invention is composed such that, a section
(hanging section) for de-boning the first bone segment of the bone
laden meat in a state it is hanging from a clamping device, and a
section (conveyor section) for de-boning the second bone segment of
the bone laden meat in a state it is place on a conveyor, are
provided, whereby meat around the first bone segment is scraped off
by using a de-boning apparatus of claim 2 after incision is made in
longitudinal direction along the first bone segment in a state the
bone laden meat is hanged in the hanging section, meat from which
the first bone segment is removed is placed on the conveyor with
thin meat on the second bone segment upside, the thin meat which is
separated from the surface of the second bone segment by making
incision between the thin meat and the surface of the second bone
segment, is turned over to expose the upper surface of the second
bone segment, incision is made along the side contour of the second
bone segment, then the second bone segment is scraped off from meat
adhering on the rear surface of the second bone segment in the
conveyor section.
[0018] The automatic de-boning apparatus is composed of a hanging
section for de-boning the first bone segment of the bone laden meat
in a state it is hanging from a clamping device and a conveyor
section for de-boning the second bone segment of the bone laden
meat in a state it is place on a conveyor. In the hanging section,
handling of the bone laden meat which is weighty is eased by
carrying out be-boning in a hanged state. By this, workers can be
released from hard labor and operation usually done on a dressing
table is eliminated, as a result, sanitary de-boning is possible
preventing adhesion of microbes to the work.
[0019] In the hanging section is carried out incision making along
the longitudinal direction of the first bone segment. This incision
is made by stabilizing the hanged bone laden meat and applying a
cutter against the meat or by applying the meat against a fixed
cutter. By this, automatic incision is possible. For example,
complicated movement of the cutter can be operated by using a drive
mechanism such as a multi-axis multi-joint robot arm which moves
along a trajectory under a program.
[0020] In this section, removal of meat around the first bone
segment from the bone is completed.
[0021] This de-boning of the first bone segment is carried out
using the de-boning apparatus of the present invention. By the
apparatus, biological tissue such as tendon, muscle, and meat can
be cut with certainty even at joint part where tendons adhere
firmly by making incision spirally. Further, spiral incision is
made by lifting up the bone laden meat while scraping the meat in
the spirally cut region followed by meat scraping-off by the meat
separator, so clogging of meat at the pinching part of the meat
separator pinching the meat does not occur, and incision making
around the bone and meat scraping off can be performed in one
continuous operation.
[0022] In the conveyor section, removing of the second bone segment
which is near one of the surface of the meat is performed placing
the bone laden meat transferred from the hanging section onto the
conveyor in the conveyor section. By this, accurate incision making
and high yield meat removing can be attained.
[0023] Concretively, the meat having the second bone segment is
allowed to be placed on the conveyor with the surface of the thin
meat upside, incision is made along the side contour and the rear
surface thereof, and the second bone segment is removed. The
processing can be performed automatically with high accuracy,
resulting in high yield of meat.
[0024] Like this, by combining de-boning process in hanged state
from the clamping device and in lying state on the conveyor,
incision making that was difficult in apparatuses of prior art is
made easy and automated. As a result, automation level of de-boning
operation is increased, and high yield meat separation is
realized.
[0025] In the invention, it is suitable to provide in the hanging
section a transfer mean for transferring the bone laden meat
intermittently to succeeding stations and a means for making at
least incision and a means for scraping off the meat around the
first bone segment after the incision is made to the meat. By
transferring the bone laden meat intermittently and allowing the
bone laden meat to stop at each station in the hanging section,
processing in each station can be eased.
[0026] It is preferable that conveyors are provided in the conveyor
section, and an exposing means for exposing the upper surface of
the second bone segment, a second incision making means for making
incision along the side contour of the second bone segment, and a
second separating means for scraping off the second bone segment
are provided for each of the conveyors.
[0027] By this, each of the processing for the second bone segment
can be carried out on each of the conveyors.
[0028] It is suitable to compose the apparatus such that the second
incision making means has a cutter for making incision, a computing
unit for determining depth of incision to be made based on distance
of descent of a sensor descended from above the upper surface of
the second bone segment until the sensor end terminal contacts the
upper surface of the second bone segment, and a cutter drive device
for moving the cutter in correspondence with result of the
computation by the computer unit, whereby the incision is made in
accordance with individually different size of the second bone
segment.
[0029] With this construction, height position of the surface of
the second bone segment is detected, and depth of incision along
the side contour of the second bone segment is determined based on
the detected height position, occurrence of injury to the meat due
to unnecessarily large depth of incision can be prevented.
[0030] As incision is made with appropriate depth depending on the
size of individual bone laden meat, accurate incision can be made
in accordance with difference in size of individual bone laden
meat.
[0031] It is preferable to provide a vertical position detector of
the cutter to the cutter drive device, thereby the cutter
functioning also as a sensor end terminal. By this, it is not
needed to provide a sensor separately, which contributes to
simplification of the apparatus.
[0032] The exposing means for exposing the upper surface of the
second bone segment includes a thin flexible cutter provided in the
hanging section for making incision between the thin meat adhering
on a surface of the second bone segment and the surface by
advancing the flexible cutter along the surface of the second bone
segment, and a bar member provided in the conveyor section to turn
over of the thin meat separated from the surface of the second bone
segment and lying on the surface in the hanging section by allowing
the bar member to contact the rear surface of the thin meat thereby
pushing the rear surface as the bone laden meat is transferred on a
conveyor in the conveyor section.
[0033] Incision for the thin meat part is performed in a state of
the bone laden meat hanged and supported to prevent swinging
thereof, so incision is made easy and accurately. By virtue of
flexibility of the flexible cutter, the cutter can follow the
surface of the second bone segment always maintaining close contact
with the surface. Therefore, separation of the thin meat from the
surface of the second bone segment can be performed with high yield
of meat.
[0034] It is suitable that the incision making section are provided
with a length measuring means for measuring distance from the
clamped part of the bone laden meat clamped by the clamping device
and hanged to the lower end of the bone laden meat, a plurality of
programs in each of which is established beforehand a trajectory of
movement of the flexible cutter in correspondence with length of
the bone laden meat, a selecting means for selecting a program from
among the plural programs in correspondence with the measured
length, and a means for driving the cutter under the selected
program, whereby the incision is made between the thin meat and the
surface of the second bone segment in correspondence with
individually different size of the second bone segment.
[0035] By measuring length of the bone laden meat from the part it
is clamped to the lower end thereof by the measuring means,
selecting a program in which a trajectory of movement of the cutter
corresponding with the measured length is established, and allowing
the cutter to move under the selected program, incision is made
along a trajectory in correspondence with the size of individual
bone laden meat. Therefore, incision can be made always accurately
for individual bone laden meat different in size.
[0036] It is preferable that, when the second bone segment has a
cartilage part, a plate member is provided in the conveyor section
for holding down the upper part of the cartilage part when meat is
scraped off from the lower surface of the second bone segment,
thereby preventing the cartilage from being damaged when scraping
off the meat. For example, when the second bone segment is a
shoulder blade, scapular cartilage is adhering to an end part of
the shoulder blade. By holding down the cartilage part by the plate
member, occurrence of deformation or bending of the cartilage can
be prevented.
[0037] The bone laden meat processed by the apparatus of the
invention is a bone laden meat with meat adhering around bones such
as an arm part or thigh part meat block, for example an arm part
meat block of a slaughtered animal halved through its spine with
cervical vertebrae, shoulder butt and spareribs removed, the first
bone segment including lower forelimb bones and an upper forelimb
bone, and the second bone segment being a shoulder blade. In this
case, a block of bone laden meat is clamped at its ankle part (or
wrist part) and hanged, incision is made to meat along the lower
forelimb bones and upper forelimb bone in longitudinal direction
thereof, then spiral incision is made to meat from meat around the
lower forelimb bones through the joint part to the joint side end
of the upper forelimb bone to scrape the meat, then meat around the
upper forelimb bone is scraped off by a meat scraper. Then, a block
of bone laden meat with the lower forelimb bones and upper forelimb
bone removed and a shoulder blade remaining is placed on a conveyor
and the shoulder blade is removed.
[0038] As has been described heretofore, according to the apparatus
of the invention, also tendons adhered firmly to the bones can be
cut positively by the spiral incision. Further, meat scraping by
the meat scraper is carried out following the spiral incision by
which the meat is scraped from the clamped part through the joint
part to the end part of the upper forelimb bone, clogging of meat
to the pinching part of the meat separator, and incision making to
meat around the bones and meat scraping-off can be performed by one
operation continuously.
[0039] As incision making to meat and meat scraping is automated
and performed by one operation continuously, operation efficiency
is drastically increased.
[0040] Further, according to the apparatus of the invention, it is
suitable to provide adjacent to a hanging section where de-boning
is performed in a hanging state of bone laden meat a de-boning
section (conveyor section) where de-boning is carried out
automatically with bone laden meat placed in a lying state. In the
conveyor section, a second bone segment which is difficult to
remove from meat in a hanging state is removed automatically. Thus,
by combining processing in a hanging state of bone laden meat and
processing in a lying state of bone laden meat, an arm meat block
can be de-boned with high level of automation, with high operation
efficiency, and with high accuracy resulting in increased yield of
meat.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0041] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of overall
configuration of an embodiment of the invention.
[0042] FIG. 2 is a drawing showing steps of processing a dressed
carcass of pig to obtain a pig arm part meat block which is the
object to de-bone.
[0043] FIG. 3 is a drawing for explaining pre-processing of an arm
part meat block of the carcass in the embodiment.
[0044] FIGS. 4A and 4B are drawing for explaining a means for
measuring the total length of an arm part meat block of the carcass
in the embodiment.
[0045] FIG. 5 is a control block diagram of the embodiment.
[0046] FIG. 6 is a drawing for explaining process of scraping off
the thin meat part adhered to a shoulder blade in the
embodiment.
[0047] FIG. 7 is an elevation view of an incision making device in
the embodiment.
[0048] FIG. 8 is a plan view of the incision making device of FIG.
7.
[0049] FIG. 9 is a side view showing a cutter tool of the incision
making device of FIG. 7.
[0050] FIG. 10 is a drawing showing incision making process with
the cutter tool.
[0051] FIG. 11 is an elevation view of a meat holding mechanism in
the second station (incision making step at an upper forelimb bone)
in the embodiment.
[0052] FIG. 12 is an elevation view of the meat holding mechanism
in the second station (incision making step at an upper forelimb
bone) in the embodiment.
[0053] FIG. 13 is a plan view of the meat holding mechanism in the
second station (incision making step at an upper forelimb bone) in
the embodiment.
[0054] FIG. 14 is an elevation view of meat separating device unit
in the third station (separating step of the lower forelimb bones
from the upper forelimb bone) in the embodiment.
[0055] FIG. 15 is a plan view of a pincer plate for pinching the
ankle part in the third station (separating step of the lower
forelimb bones from the upper forelimb bone) in the embodiment.
[0056] FIG. 16 is an elevation view of a cutter part in the in the
third station (separating step of the lower forelimb bones from the
upper forelimb bone) in the embodiment.
[0057] FIG. 17 is a plan view of the cutter part in the in the
third station (separating step of the lower forelimb bones from the
upper forelimb bone) in the embodiment.
[0058] FIGS. 18A and 18B are drawings for explaining the state an
auxiliary damper is used in the third station (separating step of
the lower forelimb bones from the upper forelimb bone) in the
embodiment.
[0059] FIG. 19 is a plan view of a positioning device of meat `m`
in the fourth station in the embodiment.
[0060] FIG. 20 is an elevation view showing thin meat turn-over
step in the fourth station in the embodiment.
[0061] FIG. 21 is an elevation view of side incision making step of
the shoulder blade and measuring step of height position of the
shoulder blade in the fifth station in the embodiment.
[0062] FIG. 22 is a drawing showing lines of incision along both
sides of the shoulder blade in the fifth station in the
embodiment.
[0063] FIG. 23 is an elevation view showing the sixth station
(shoulder blade separating step) in the embodiment.
[0064] FIG. 24 is a partly enlarged view of FIG. 23.
[0065] FIG. 25 is a plan view of the sixth station shown in FIG.
23.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0066] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be
detailed with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is
intended, however, that unless particularly specified, dimensions,
materials, relative positions and so forth of the constituent parts
in the embodiments shall be interpreted as illustrative only not as
limitative of the scope of the present invention.
[0067] FIGS. 1 to 25 are drawings concerning the embodiment in the
case the invention is applied to de-boning of an arm part meat
block of a slaughtered pig.
[0068] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of overall
configuration of an embodiment, FIG. 2 is a process drawing showing
steps of processing a dressed carcass of pig to obtain a pig arm
part meat block which is the object to de-bone, and FIG. 3 is a
drawing for explaining pre-processing of an arm part meat block of
the carcass.
[0069] In FIG. 1, an arm part meat block `W` (hereafter referred to
as a work) of a slaughtered pig is hanged with its end part `d` of
the lower forelimb bones (the end part is referred to as ankle part
hereafter) held by a clamping device 1 after preprocessed as shown
in FIG. 3, and the clamping device 1 is transferred along a
transfer route 2 intermittently from a first station ST1 to a third
station ST3 stopping at each station.
[0070] The lower forelimb bones `z` and upper forelimb bone `j` are
removed from the work `W` in the process between the first station
ST1 and third station ST3, the pig arm meat block `m` with a
shoulder blade `k` remained comes down onto a roller conveyor 316
and transferred to a belt conveyor 40 in a fourth station ST4, and
de-boning of the shoulder blade `k` is carried out while being
transferred on the conveyor 40 in the fourth station St4, a
conveyor 50 in the fifth station ST5, and a belt conveyor 60 in a
sixth station ST6, these conveyors being seriated.
[0071] As shown in FIG. 2, the work `W` is a part of a dressed
carcass `e` of a pig halved through its backbone and separated
between the fourth rib and fifth rib along cutting line `a` which
is shown by `c` and further got rid of cervical vertebrae `b`,
shoulder butt `I`, and spareribs `s` including ribs `r`. The work
`W` contains the lower forelimb `z` including the ankle part `d`,
upper forelimb bone `j`, and shoulder blade `k`. The work `W` is
preprocessed before held by the clamping device 1 by making
incision along the lower forelimb bones `z` consisting of a radius
and ulna as shown in FIG. 3 and forming a depression for clamping
by the clamping device 1 in order to facilitate de-boning in
succeeding processes. The incision consists of an incision line 3
along the side face of the ulna, an incision line 4 for slicing
open around the elbow to allow the point of the elbow to be
exposed, an incision line 5 along the surface of the ulna, and an
incision line 6 along the surface of the radius.
[0072] The above is all of preprocessing operated manually. After
the preprocessing, processing is carried out automatically by
machines, and the incision making is easy, so workers can be
released from hard labor. In the embodiment, the apparatus consists
of six stations. From the first station ST1 to the third station
ST3, processing is carried out with the work `W` hanged from the
clamping device 1. From the fourth station ST4 to sixth station
ST6, processing is carried out with the work `W` transferred on the
belt conveyor. The clamping device 1 is transferred intermittently
between the first and third station stopping at each station by
means of a claw member fixed to a chain constituting the transfer
route 2.
[0073] It is necessary in the de-boning process of the work `W`
that individual difference in size of the works is measured and
incisions are made at appropriate positions in order to carry out
accurate processing to works different in size. For this purpose,
length of the work `W` is measured in the first station before
incision making process is started. A measuring method will be
explained referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B. As shown in the drawings, a
light emitting side photoelectric sensor 11a and a light receiving
side photoelectric sensor 11b are located to face each other
straddling the work `W`, the clamping device 1 hanging the work `W`
is moved up with a lifting unit 13 (see FIG. 5) by means of a servo
motor, and lifted value of the lifting unit is detected at the
instance that the light receiving side photoelectric sensor 11b has
received the light emitted from the light emitting side
photoelectric sensor 11a.
[0074] FIG. 5 is a control block diagram of the embodiment. The
length from the clamping position of the work `W` by the clamping
device 1 to the lower end of the work `W` (hereafter referred to as
work length) is computed by work length detecting means 101 of a
controller 100 based on the lifted value and original position of
the clamping device 1 and height position of the sensors. By this
operation, errors due to individual difference in size of works can
be eliminated, and accurate incision can be made.
[0075] Following the above process, incision making at lower
forelimb bones is carried out. After the measurement is finished,
the clamping device 1 is again moved down to the original position
by means of the lifting unit 13, the work `W` is sandwiched from
both sides thereof near the lower forelimb bones `z` by a pair of
meat separating members 310 and a fixing device similar to the pair
of meat separating members 310 mentioned later to prevent swinging
of the work `W`. In this state, the clamping device 1 is moved up
by a lift corresponding to the measured work length. Incision is
made from both sides of the lower forelimb bones `z` along the
surfaces of the bones by means of a cutter having a vertical round
blade, that means the blade rotates about a horizontal axis, not
shown in the drawing while moving up the work `W`. Therefore, the
incision is made as shown by an arrow 14 in FIGS. 4A and 4B.
Incision making to the meat part adhering to the surfaces of the
lower forelimb bones is carried out by above operation.
[0076] The clamping device 1 is moved up by controlling the servo
motor for lifting the lifting unit 13, based on the length of the
work `W` determined by the work length detecting means 101 as shown
in FIG. 5.
[0077] As lifting value of the clamping device 1 is controlled
based on the length of the work measured in the measuring step,
occurrence of errors in incision making due to difference in work
length of individual work ca be prevented.
[0078] Next, incision for scraping off the thin meat part adhering
to the surface of the shoulder blade is made. In the state the work
`W` is prevented from swinging with the fixing device, incision
making for scraping the thin meat part `m1` is carried out using a
thin plate-shaped cutter tool 16 attached to the end of an arm 15
of a 6-axis vertical multi-joint robot. As shown in FIG. 6, the
cutter tool 16 is made of hardened stainless steel of thickness of
1 mm and capable of being elastic deformed. Even if the cutting
edge of the cutter tool 16 is thrust against the meat part on the
shoulder blade at an angle slightly oblique to the direction
perpendicular to the surface of the shoulder blade `k`, the cutter
blade bows or bends before it bites into the shoulder blade, so the
cutting edge does not dig into the shoulder blade more than
necessary.
[0079] As shown in FIG. 6, the cutter tool 16 is forwarded from
process (1) to process (2), the cutting edge thrusts into the thin
meat part `m1` and strikes the surface of the shoulder blade `k`.
When the cutter tool 16 is further pushed, it bows or bends due to
its flexibility as shown by process (3), as a result, the cutter
tool 16 is introduced between the meat and shoulder blade `k`
without biting into the shoulder blade as shown by process (4), and
the thin meat part `m1`can be scraped off along the surface of the
shoulder blade `k`.
[0080] Further, the cutter tool 16 can make its way along the
irregular surface of the shoulder blade closely contacting the
surface.
[0081] Therefore, remnant meat on the surface of the shoulder blade
is reduced, and stable and high yield scraping of the thin meat
part can be possible.
[0082] In FIG. 5, a plurality of programs 102 for separating
operation established in correspondence with work length is
memorized in the controller 100. A program selecting means 103
selects a program to use corresponding to detected work length. A
cutter tool drive device 17 which is attached to the robot arm 15
and operated under the selected program operates the cutter tool
16.
[0083] In this way, the cutter tool 16 is operated to follow an
accurate trajectory, mismatching of the trajectory to individual
work `W` is prevented, remnant meat on the shoulder blade is
reduced, and stable and high yield meat scraping is made
possible.
[0084] Further, it is possible to reduce the reaction force against
the cutter blade by adding variable servo gain function to the
robot arm 15 so that servo stiffness (gain) at each axis of the
robot arm 15 is reduced. By this, occurrence of over load to the
work `W` and the cutter tool can be evaded.
[0085] Next, the work `W` is transferred to the second station ST2,
and incision making to the meat adhering on the upper forelimb bone
`j` is carried out. This incision is made as shown in FIG. 12 by an
arrow line 21 such that the muscle under the cubital joint between
the lower forelimb bones `z` and upper forelimb bone `j` is cut and
incision is made from the brachial muscle groove to the deltoid
tuberosity. This incision making is carried out as shown in FIG. 1
by attaching a cutter tool 24 to a 6-axis vertical multi-joint
robot 22. As shown in FIG. 5, a separation operation program
corresponding to the work length measured in the first station is
selected by the program selecting means 103, and a drive device 23
for driving the cutter tool 24 is operated under the selected
program.
[0086] As the cutter tool, a vibrating blade with a cutter guide
disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2994-321032
can be used. This cutter tool is advantageous in that, a cutter
guide capable of moving relative to the cutter tool is provided,
contact of the cutter guide to a bone is detected, the cutter tool
is actuated upon receiving the detection signal, and the meat
adhering on the surface of the bone is cut while allowing the
cutting edge of the cutter tool to move along the surface of the
bone, so even if the shape of the bone is complicated the meat can
be cut along the shape of the surface of the bone.
[0087] Further, with the cutter tool, the meat is cut while
applying tension force to the meat by the cutter guide, so cutting
performance is increased and the cutting edge does not bite into
the bone.
[0088] Further, an incision making device composed as shown in
FIGS. 7 to 9 can be used. FIG. 7 is an elevation view and FIG. 8 is
a plan view respectively of the incision making device, and FIG. 9
is a side view of the cutter tool of the incision making device.
Referring to the drawings, the cutter tool 24 is attached to an end
part 22a of the robot arm 22 of the 6-axis vertical multi-joint
robot. In this case, also a program is selected in correspondence
with the measured work length by the program selecting means 103
from among the plural programs 102, and the cutter tool 24 is
driven by a cutter tool drive device 23 which is operated under the
selected program.
[0089] The cutter tool 24 comprises a base member 242, a pivot
shaft 240 supported rotatably by the base member 242, and a
knife-shaped cutter 241 attached to the pivot shaft 240 at a
position offset in direction opposite to traveling direction f of
the cutter 241. The cutter 241 has a sharply V-shaped cutting
edge.
[0090] By positioning the pivot shaft 240, which adjusts entering
angle g of the cutter 241, nearer to the robot arm 22 than to the
cutter 241, the point of action of force to move the cutter tool 24
comes to a position advanced toward the cutter traveling direction
f from the cutter actually contacting the meat or bone of the work.
As a result, to move of the cutter 241 along the surface of the
bone becomes easy.
[0091] The base member 242 of the cutter 241 is possible to be slid
by means of a slide mechanism 243 in the direction perpendicular to
the cutter traveling direction f of the cutter 241. The slide
mechanism 243 is composed of a laterally elongated base member 244
extending in the direction perpendicular to the cutter traveling
direction f and fixed to the end part 22a, a linear guide rail 245
attached to the elongated base member 244, and a linear guide bar
246 attached to the elongated base member 244 above the linear
guide rail 245. The base member 242 is fit slidably to the guide
bar 246. Coil springs 247 are provided to surround the guide bar
246 in both sides of the base member 242 so that the base member
242 is positioned in the lateral center of the guide bar 246 by the
spring force of the coil springs 247.
[0092] With this construction, the cutter 241 can be slid in both
directions perpendicular to the cutter traveling direction f as
shown by arrows `o` in FIG. 9, and concurrently the entering angle
g of the cutter 241 can be varied about the center axis of the
pivot shaft 240. Therefore, the position and entering angle of a
cutter 241 contacting the surface of the bone can be easily
adjusted in correspondence with the size of bone and length of the
work.
[0093] As mentioned above, a plurality of programs are prepared to
make it possible to select a program which allows the incision
making operation by the cutter tool 24 to match with work length,
however, small errors may occur due to individual difference
concerning size, position of joint in the work. Fine adjustment for
compensating those errors can be performed by the cutter tool 24
having 2-degree-of-freedom, that is, by adjustment of the position
of the cutter 241 by the slide mechanism 243 and adjustment of the
entering angle g of the cutter 241 by the pivot shaft 240.
[0094] Cutting operation by the cutter 24 will be explained
referring to FIG. 10. Cutting operation of the cutter 24 is
performed under a selected cutting operation program to correspond
to work length. An initial position of the cutter 241 is set in the
program, and the cutter 241 is moved until it contacts the bone B
as shown in FIG. 10.
[0095] The error between the initial position set in the operation
program and the actual position of the bone B due to difference of
individual work is compensated by sliding of the base member 242
along the linear guide rail 245 in right or left direction (in
direction h in FIG. 10) by reaction force exerting from the bone B
on the cutter 241.
[0096] When the robot arm end part 22a moves from the initial
position in the cutter traveling direction f under the operation
program, the pivot shaft 240 is rotated by the reaction force
exerting on the cutter 241 while the cutter 241 traveling along the
surface of the bone B, by which the cutter entering angle is
adjusted automatically to g1 so that the cutter 241 lies along the
surface of the bone B.
[0097] In this way, difference between the position set in the
program and the actual position when the cutter contact the bone
due to different size of individual work can be compensated by
means of the slide mechanism 243, and the cutter 241 travels along
the surface of the bone B while being adjusted in its tilt angle by
the rotation of the pivot shaft 241, which is located at a position
nearer to the robot arm end part 22a than to the cutter 241, so
that the cutting edge of the cutter 241 follows irregularities of
the surface of the bone B.
[0098] Therefore, the cutter 241 can travel along the surface of
the bone B avoiding possible biting of the cutting edge of the
cutter 241 into the bone B or departing of the cutting edge from
the surface of the bone B. Accordingly, cutting along the surface
of the bone B in the longitudinal direction thereof can be carried
out smoothly and the cutter can travel accurately on the boundary
of surface of the bone B and meat, so the meat adhered on the bone
B can be scraped off with high yield.
[0099] In the upper forelimb incision making step, a work holding
mechanism 25 shown in FIG. 11 to FIG. 13 is used. FIG. 11 is an
elevation view of the holding mechanism 25 when not engaged. FIG.
12 is an elevation view of the work holding mechanism 25 when the
work is held, and FIG. 13 is a plan view of the work holding
mechanism 25 when the work is held.
[0100] The work holding mechanism 25 comprises a base member 251, a
support shaft 252 supported by the base member 251, a frame 250
supported rotatably about the support shaft 252, and an air
cylinder 253 attached to the base member 251. The air cylinder 253
actuates to rotate the frame 250 to rotate about the support shaft
252.
[0101] A meat fat pusher bar 255 for pushing the surface of fat `i`
of the work `W` is attached to the frame 250, and a meat pusher bar
254 is attached to the fat face pusher bar 255 perpendicularly
thereto as can be seen in FIG. 13. The meat pusher bar 254 extends
horizontally at the same height as the upper forelimb bone `j` so
that the pusher bar 254 support the force exerted on the work by
the cutter 241 when incision is made.
[0102] A shoulder blade pusher bar 256 for pushing the surface of
thin meat part `m1` on the shoulder blade `k` is attached to the
frame 250 below the pusher bars 254, 255 to extend parallel to the
fat pusher bar 255.
[0103] When making incision to the upper forelimb, the frame 250 is
rotated by the air cylinder 253 to take a position to push the work
`W`. The meat pusher bar 254 pushes the work `W` from the point of
the elbow `z1` side, the fat pusher bar 255 pushes the surface `i`
of the fat of the work `W`, and the shoulder blade pusher bar 256
pushes the surface to the thin meat `m1` on the shoulder blade
k'.
[0104] In this way, the work `W` is held securely and incision can
be made accurately. When the cutter tool disclosed in Japanese
Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2004-321032 is used, it is
preferable that the air cylinder 253 is provided with a relief
mechanism for allowing the frame 250 to be moved backward in the
direction of arrow q when force exceeding permitted force is
exerted from the cutter tool on the work `W` in the direction of
arrow p, since the cutter is not provided with such a relief
mechanism as the cutter tool 24.
[0105] Next, the work `W` is transferred with the clamping device 1
to the third station ST3. In the third station ST3, the work `W` is
rotated together with a pair of meat separators, cutting around the
lower forelimb bones and upper forelimb bone with the round blade
cutter and scraping of meat are carried out while the work `W` is
lifted by lifting the clamping device 1 by the lifting unit, and
the arm meat block with the shoulder blade remained is discharged
from the station. Devices used for the processing are shown in
FIGS. 14 to 18. FIG. 14 is the overall configuration of the meat
separating device unit. Referring to the drawing, a servo motor 301
provided to a lifting unit section 30, a lifting block 302
supporting the clamping device 1 is moved up and down by actuating
the servo motor 301.
[0106] An induction motor 303 is mounted on the lifting block 302,
the clamping device 1 can be rotated by the induction motor while
moving up and down. A meat separating section 31 is provided below
the clamping device 1. As shown in FIG. 15, in the meat separating
section 31 is provided with a pair of meat separating members 310,
310 each having a pincer plate 310a which has a recess, the ankle
part of the work `W` being able to be pinched by the both the
recesses of the pincer plates when the pair of the meat separating
members are shut so that the pincer plates brought to be
horizontal.
[0107] The pair of meat separating members 310, 310 is connected to
an induction motor 313 via a rotation shaft 312 to be driven by the
induction motor 313. A synchronizing mechanism is provided to
synchronize rotation of the induction motor 303 and 313 so that the
clamping device 1 and the pair of meat separating members 310, 310
are driven in synchronism with each other.
[0108] The meat separating members 310, 310 are connected to a rod
of an air cylinder 315 via a link mechanism 314 so that the members
can be opened or shut in the direction of arrow t by actuating the
air cylinder 315. A roller conveyor 316 is provided between the
meat separating members 310, 310, arm meat block `m` separated from
the lower forelimb bones and upper forelimb bone falls onto the
roller conveyor 316. When the meat separating members is opened,
the roller conveyor 316 is slanted to the side of 4ST which is
positioned directly next the roller conveyor 316 so that the arm
meat block `m` on the roller conveyor 316 is transferred to a
conveyor belt 40 of the fourth station ST4.
[0109] As shown in FIG. 15, a pair of meat scraper plate 317a and
317b is attached on the undersurface of the flat pincer plate 310a
such that each of the scraper plate is rotatable about a shaft 318a
and 318b fixed to the pincer plate. A tension coil spring 320a,
320b each is engaged between claws formed at both right and left
end parts of the meat scraper 317 and an end of both of the pincer
plated 321a, 321b so that the end of each of the pincer plate is
pulled by each of the tension spring to be rotated about each of
the shaft 318a and 318b until the recess 311 of the pincer plate
310a is covered partly, 321a and 321b being stoppers of the
rotation of the meat scraper plates 317a, 317b. When the ankle part
of the work `W` comes into the recess 311 of each of the pincer
plates to be clamped by the pair of pincer plates, the scraper
plates are forced open by the ankle part and the ankle part is
pressed by the meat scraper plates 317a, 317b by the tension force
of the springs 320a, 320b.
[0110] Between the lifting unit section 30 and meat separating
section 31 is provided a pair of cutter section 33, 33 facing each
other, between them the clamping device 1 can be descended. The
cutter section 33 is detailed in FIGS. 16 and 17. Referring to the
drawings, a round blade cutter 330 is disposed horizontally to face
the work `W` hanging from the clamping device 1. A cutter drive
motor 339 is mounted on a supporting board 332. The supporting
board 332 is supported on a fixing board 334 rotatably via a
support shaft 333 fixed to the fixing board 334. The rod of an air
cylinder 336 attached on the fixing board 334 is connected to a
bracket 335 attached to the supporting board 332 at a peripheral
part thereof and the supporting board 332 is rotated about the
support shaft 333 in the direction of arrow u by actuating the air
cylinder 336. Reference numeral 331 is a rotation shaft to which
the c round blade cutter 330 is fixed and rotated by the cutter
drive motor 339.
[0111] A cutter guard 337 is attached on the supporting board 332.
The cutter guard 337 is attached on the supporting board 332
extending downward from the supporting board 332 and has a
horizontal plate part at the down side extremity thereof, the outer
periphery of the horizontal guard plate of the cutter guard 337
being shaped to coincide with the outer periphery of the round
blade cutter 330.
[0112] An air cylinder 338 mounted on the supporting board 332 is
connected to the cutter guide 337, and the round blade cutter 330
can be moved forward and backward by actuating the air cylinder 338
so that exertion of the cutter from the guard plate can be changed.
It is permissible to compose such that in one of the pair of the
cutter section 33 the cutter guard 337 does not move relative to
the round blade cutter 330.
[0113] When carrying out de-boning, the clamping device 1 is lifted
while it is rotated, and at the same time the air cylinder 336 is
activated to advance the round blade cutter 330 toward the work `W`
to make incision to biological tissue such as tendon, muscle, and
meat adhering around the lower forelimb bones `z` through the joint
part to the joint side end part of the upper forelimb bone `j`. By
making incision with the round blade cutter 330 while lifting the
clamping device 1 with the device being rotated, meat around the
bones of the work `W` can be cut spirally. Therefore, the
biological tissue adhered around the bones and joint can be cut
with certainty and meat is scraped until the end part of the upper
forelimb bone to allow the end part to be exposed.
[0114] Then, an auxiliary damper 34 clamps the exposed end part of
the upper forelimb bone `j` as shown in FIGS. 18A and B, and the
exposed upper forelimb bone is pinched by meat scraper plate 317a,
317b. The auxiliary damper serves to prevent the joint between the
lower forelimb bones and upper forelimb bone from dislocating when
meat is scraped off by the meat scraper plates of the meat scraping
members 310 by lifting up the work `W`.
[0115] The work `W` is further lifted up rotating in synchronism
with the rotation of the pair of meat separating members 310.
[0116] As the meat scraper plates 317a, 317b are maintained to
press the bones, meat around the upper forelimb `j` can be scraped
without fail.
[0117] As a result, although only one longitudinal incision is made
to meat surrounding the upper forelimb bone in the second station
ST2, de-boning of the upper forelimb bone can be performed with
certainty.
[0118] Further, as cutting is performed while lifting the work `W`,
there is possibility that shearing force, i.e. meat scraping force
exerting on the round blade cutter 330 increases and cause breakage
of the round blade cutter when depth of incision is excessively
large. The cutter guard 337 is provided in order to prevent this.
Since exertion v of the cutting edge of the round blade cutter 330
from the guard plate of the cutter guard can be adjusted, depth of
incision can be restricted. When large force is required such as
when making incision at the joint between the lower forelimb bones
`z` and upper forelimb bone `j` and at the joint between the upper
forelimb bone `j` and shoulder blade `k` and cutting of tendon at
the joint, the cutter guard is shifted backward to increase the
exertion v.
[0119] By providing the cutter guard 337 like this, occurrence of
breakage of the round cutter 330 can be prevented and smooth
incision making can be performed at the joint part where large
force is required for making incision and cutting.
[0120] The pair of meat separating members 310, 310 is composed to
be capable of being opened and shut or widened and narrowed. When
the pair of meat separating members opens, the roller conveyor 316
located below is slanted, and the roller conveyor 316 is driven by
the weight of the arm meat block `m` separated from the lower
forelimb bones `z` and upper forelimb bone `j` fallen down onto the
roller conveyor 316 to transfer the arm meat block `m` to the belt
conveyor 40 in the adjacent fourth station ST4.
[0121] In the third station ST3 also the lift distance of the
clamping device 1 and the shift distance of the cutter guard 337 at
an arbitral position of the shifted clamping device 1 can be
adjusted in accordance with the detected work length based on the
measurement result of work length in the first station ST1. As
shown in FIG. 5, the measured value of work length is sent from the
work length detecting means 101 to the program selecting means 103,
and a program is selected which has setting values of lift amount
of the clamping device 1 and timing of advance and retreat of the
round blade cutter 330 and cutter guard 337 corresponding to the
detected work length from among a plurality of programs in each of
which a value of lift amount of the clamping device and a value of
timing of advance and retreat of the round blade cutter 330 and
cutter guard 337 are set.
[0122] The servo motor 301 in the lifting unit section 30 and the
air cylinder 338 in the cutter section 33 are driven under the
selected program.
[0123] As a lift amount of the work `W` and a position of the
cutter guard relative to the round blade cutter 330 at an arbitral
lifted position of the clamping device are determined in
correspondence with the detected work length when making incision
in the third step ST3, spiral incision line and depth of incision
of the round blade cutter 330 can be determined to correspond to
size of individual arm meat block. Therefore, accurate incision can
be made with appropriate incision depth. Accordingly, meat
remaining on the bones can be reduced resulting in high yield of
meat scraping, and at the same time cutting can be performed
smoothly preventing excessive force from exerting on the round
blade cutter 330 due to shearing force, i.e. meat scraping
force.
[0124] Cutting operation is divided in an anterior half for cutting
meat from the lower forelimb bones `z` to the joint part between
the lower forelimb bones `z` and upper forelimb bone `j`, and a
posterior half for cutting meat from the upper forelimb bone `j` to
the joint part between the upper forelimb bone `j` and shoulder
blade. Before shifting from the anterior half to the posterior
half, the joint part between the lower forelimb bones `z` and upper
forelimb bone `j` is supported from its under side as shown in
FIGS. 18A and 18B in order to prevent dislocation of the joint. The
symbol `m1` in FIG. 18 is the thin meat part peeled off from the
surface of the shoulder blade `k` in the first station ST1.
[0125] Lastly, the joint part between the upper forelimb bone `j`
and shoulder blade `k` is cut with the round blade cutter 330. The
arm meat block `m` with the shoulder blade `k` remaining in it is
dropped onto the roller conveyor 316, the arm meat block `m` is
transferred to the belt conveyor 40 in the fourth station ST4.
[0126] In this way, incision making around the lower forelimb bones
z' and upper forelimb bone `j`, and cutting of the joint part
between the upper forelimb bone `j` and shoulder blade `k` can be
performed at short times continuously in one operation process.
[0127] In the fourth station ST4 and succeeding stations, it is
necessary to process the arm meat block `m` with the shoulder blade
remaining in it such that the thin meat part `m1` peeled in the
first station ST1 and remaining on the surface of the shoulder
blade is erected, incision made to the side part of the shoulder
blade `k`, and lastly the shoulder blade `k` is scraped off from
the arm meat block `m`. In the embodiment, the processing mentioned
above is divided in three steps and carried out in three stations
of the fourth station ST4 to sixth station ST6. In these stations,
removing operation of the shoulder blade is carried out on the
conveyor located in each station. The de-boned arm meat block `m`
is transferred to next process.
[0128] The shoulder blade laden arm meat block `m` obtained in the
third station ST3 falls onto the belt conveyor 40 in the fourth
station ST4 and transferred in the direction of arrow x, as shown
in FIG. 19. The arm meat block `m` fallen onto the belt conveyor 40
is different in position and attitude when fell on the belt
conveyor, so it is necessary to perform positioning on the belt
conveyor 40, for harmful influence may occur in the succeeding
process if the arm meat block `m` is transferred without modified
in the position and attitude thereof. However, the arm meat block
`m` must be fallen always with the shoulder blade upside.
[0129] Positioning guides 41, 41 are provided to extend from both
side of the belt conveyor 40, the guides 41, 41 form a general
shape of a letter "V" on the belt conveyor to position the arm meat
block `m` by utilizing the fact that V-shape is formed by the
surface `i` of the shoulder butt side fat and the cutting surface
between the fourth rib and fifth rib when the work `W` is separated
from the dressed carcass `e` of a pig halved through its backbone
and separated.
[0130] As shown in FIG. 19, an end of each of the positioning
guides 41, 41 is supported by each of support shafts 410, 410
provided at both sides of the belt conveyor 40 such that each of
the positioning guides is rotatable about each of the support
shafts 410, 410 in the direction of arrow y by actuating each of
air cylinders 411, 411 provided at both sides of the belt conveyor.
By allowing the positioning guides 41, 41 to form V-shape on the
belt conveyor 40, the arm meat block `m` transferred on the belt
conveyor 40 is pushed against the positioning guides 41, 41. By
this, the arm meat block `m` is positioned on the centerline of the
belt conveyor 40, and succeeding processing can be eased.
[0131] After this positioning, the thin meat part `m1` on the
shoulder blade `k` of the arm meat block `m` transferred on the
belt conveyor 40 is turned over by a bar member 43 while pushing
the upper surface of the shoulder blade `k` by a holddown roll 42
in the fourth station ST4, as shown in FIG. 20. Mechanism to push
by the holddown roll 42 is composed such that, a fixed frame 430 is
provided above the conveyor, a movable frame 432 is supported by a
shaft 431 fixed to the fixed frame 430 rotatably about the shaft
421, a movable frame 420 is supported by a shaft 421 fixed to the
movable frame 432 rotatably about the shaft 421. A spring 422 is
provided between the shaft 431 and 421 such that an end of the
spring is engaged with the movable frame 432 and the other end is
engaged with an end of the movable frame 420. The holddown roll 42
is provided to the other end part of the movable frame 420.
[0132] The movable frame 432 can be rotated by an air cylinder 433
attached between the fixed frame 430 and an end of the movable
frame 432 and the bar member 43 for turning over the thin meat part
is attached to the other end of the movable frame 432 between the
shaft 421 and the holddown roll 42. With this construction, the
holddown roll 42 and the bar member 43 can be moved up and down by
actuating the air cylinder 433. The rotation axis of the holddown
roll 42 is horizontal and perpendicular to the transfer direction x
of the belt conveyor 40, and the bar member 43 is a little slanted
backwardly in relation to the transfer direction x.
[0133] With this construction, the holddown roll 42 and the bar
member 43 are lowered toward the surface of the shoulder blade `k`
by actuating the air cylinder 433, and the shoulder blade `k` is
slanted a little forwardly in relation to the transfer direction x
pushed with the holddown roll 42. This eases turning over of the
thin meat part. The spring 422 pull the shaft 421 side end so that
the holddown roll 42 pushes the arm meat block `m`, and the
holddown roll can follow the surface of the shoulder blade always
contacting the surface by virtue of the resilience of the spring
422.
[0134] The bar member 43 contacts the thin meat part `m1` in the
upstream side of the transfer direction x of the belt conveyor 40
and turns over the thin meat part `m1` to expose the upper surface
of the shoulder blade `k`.
[0135] In this way, the holddown roll 42 pushes the arm meat block
`m` with proper pressure without damaging the meat, for the
holddown roll 42 is supported by way of the spring 422, and the
thin meat part `m1` remaining on the shoulder part can be easily
turn over by the bar 43.
[0136] Next, the arm meat block `m` is transferred from the belt
conveyor 40 to a belt conveyor 50 in the fifth station ST5. In the
fifth station ST5 is carried out incision making along both sides
of the shoulder blade using a 4-axis horizontal multi-joint robot.
First, after the turn-over operation of the thin meat part `m1` is
finished in the fourth station ST4, positioning of the arm meat
block `m` is again performed using positioning guides of the same
type as those used in the fourth station ST4.
[0137] In the fifth station ST5, as shown in FIG. 21, the conveyor
50 is stopped, a shoulder holder 51 having needle-shaped teeth 52
is moved down from above the shoulder blade `k` of the arm meat
block `m` to positively fix the arm meat block `m`, then incision
is made along both sides of the shoulder blade.
[0138] A cutter tool 54 attached to a 4-axis horizontal multi-joint
robot arm 53 is composed similar to the cutter tool shown in FIGS.
7 to 10. A knife-shaped cutter 55 attached to the cutter tool 54 is
mounted slidable in the direction perpendicular to the moving
direction of the cutter tool 54 along the transfer direction x and
swingable in the transfer direction x so that the cutter 55 does
not dig into the bone. The cutter 55 can run along the sides of the
bone owing to the slidability of the cutter tool 54. Therefore, the
cutter 55 can be run flexibly accommodating to the size of the
shoulder blade `k` when making incision along the sides of the
shoulder blade.
[0139] First, the torque of a Z axis (lifting shaft) of the 4-axis
horizontal multi-joint robot arm 53 is reduced to allow the cutting
edge of the knife-shaped cutter 55 to contact the upper surface of
the shoulder blade with weak force, and a coordinate value is read.
An appropriate incision depth is computed by a computing unit 56,
and a certain incision depth is maintained. Incision lines are
shown in FIG. 22. First, incision is made along a line 57, then
along a line 58. By the incision, the membrane between the shoulder
blade `k` and arm meat block `m` is separated and the muscle
connecting the shoulder blade to the arm meat block `m` can be
cut.
[0140] By using the cutter tool 54 of construction like this,
accurate incision can be made while adjusting the incision lines to
some difference of contour of individual shoulder blade.
[0141] After the incision making is finished, the shoulder blade
holder 51 is raised, the arm meat block `m` is positioned again by
the positioning guides. Then the belt conveyor 50 is driven again
to transfer the arm meat block `m` to the sixth station ST6.
[0142] In the sixth station ST6, the shoulder blade `k` with
scapular cartilage `n` is scraped off from the arm meat block `m`.
In FIGS. 23 to 25, the front edge of the arm meat block `m`
transferred to a belt conveyor 60 in the sixth station ST6 is
detected by a photoelectric sensor, and the belt conveyor 60 is
stopped upon detection of the front edge. After the belt conveyor
60 is stopped, a shoulder blade holder 61 having needle-shaped
teeth is descended from above the shoulder blade to push the
shoulder blade `k` and stabilize the meat `m` so that the shoulder
blade `k` is inclined in a state the rear side of the shoulder
blade is raised upward. A shoulder blade chuck 62 having a U-shaped
cutter 620 at a lower end thereof is fixed to a support plate
623.
[0143] A chuck cutter 621 is attached to the support plate 623
rotatably about a support shaft 625 fixed to the support plate 623.
An arm 624 is connected to the chuck cutter by the support shaft
625. An end of a tension spring 622 is connected to the arm 624 of
and the other end of the spring is connected to the support plate
623, therefore the chuck cutter 621 is urged by the tension spring
622 in counterclockwise rotation direction. The counterclockwise
rotation of the chuck cutter 621 is stopped by a stopper 629 fixed
the support plate 623. After the shoulder blade `k` is pushed by
the shoulder blade holder 61 to incline the work `W`, the support
plate 623 is descended and advance in the transfer direction x (in
the right direction in FIG. 24), the shoulder blade `k` passes
through a gap between the U-shaped cutter 620 and the chuck cutter
621 pushing the chuck cutter 621 against elastic force of the
spring 622, and the root part of the shoulder blade of a kind of
tree-leaf like shape is clamped with the U-shaped cutter 620 and
the chuck cutter 621.
[0144] Then, a cartilage holder 63 is moved down to hold down the
scapular cartilage `n` adhering to the head part of shoulder blade
`k` and a part of the shoulder blade near the scapular cartilage
`n`. By this, the head part of the shoulder blade and the meat
adhering thereto is prevented from being reflexed upward when
pulling the shoulder blade to remove it from the meat as mentioned
later.
[0145] Then, the support plate 623 is raised together with the
cartilage holder 63 supporting from above the forward end part of
the work `W`. Therefore, the work `W` is lifted up from the belt
conveyor 60 clamped by the U-shaped cutter 620 and chuck cutter 621
and supported by the cartilage holder 63 from above.
[0146] In this state, a meat separator bar 64 is rotated from the
upstream side toward downstream side of the transfer direction x
about a support shaft 641 by actuating an air cylinder 640 until
the separator bar 64 is positioned at about 85.degree. in relation
to the transfer direction x as shown in FIG. 25 while pushing the
arm meat block `m` toward the downstream side.
[0147] Then, the support plate 623 is moved backward (in the left
direction in FIG. 24) to pull the shoulder blade `k` with the meat
part `m` held by the separator bar 64. The meat part `m` separated
thus from the shoulder blade `k` falls down onto the belt conveyor
60. When the meat adhering to the under surface of the shoulder
blade falls down, the cartilage holder 63 is raised, and the
shoulder blade `k` with scapular cartilage `n` remains in the state
chucked by the chuck cutter 621 and U-shaped cutter 620. Then the
support plate 623 is moved up, and a shoulder blade discharging bar
65 provided at a height level the same as the moved up support
plate 623 is protruded in the transfer direction x to push the
upper arm 624 of the chuck cutter 621 to rotate the chuck cutter
621 in the direction C as shown in FIG. 24. By this, the chuck
cutter 621 is rotated in clockwise about the support shaft, the
chucking of the shoulder blade with the U-shaped cutter 620 and the
chuck cutter 621 is released, and the shoulder blade with scapular
cartilage falls on the belt conveyor 60.
[0148] As described above, in the sixth station ST6, removing of
the shoulder blade from the arm meat block can be automated by the
apparatus of the invention without manual operation, in which the
shoulder blade is held down with the shoulder holder 61 so that the
rear side of the shoulder blade face the U-shaped cutter 620, the
root part of the shoulder blade of a kind of tree-leaf like shape
is clamped with the U-shaped cutter 620 and the chuck cutter 621,
and the shoulder blade is removed from the meat part by pulling it
in a state the scapular cartilage part is supported from above with
the cartilage holder 63 and the meat adhering to the under surface
of the shoulder blade is held by a meat separator bar 64, so meat
remaining on the shoulder blade `k` can be reduced and high yield
de-boning is possible. Further, as the shoulder blade and scapular
cartilage are held down by the cartilage holder 63 when removing
the shoulder blade form the arm meat block, the cartilage `n` can
be prevented from being reflexed upward or jumping up in the
operation, and a phenomenon is prevented that the scapular
cartilage separates from the shoulder blade and remains in the arm
meat block.
[0149] As has been described, according to the embodiment, removing
of the lower forelimb bones `z` and upper forelimb bone `j` in the
first to third stations are carried out with the work `W` hanged
from the clamping device 1, so problems due to weighty work to be
processed is eliminated and handling of the work is eased, as a
result, sanitary de-boning is possible preventing adhesion of
microbes to the work.
[0150] Automation was made possible by transferring intermittently
the work `W` hanging from the clamping device 1 and making incision
with the clamping device fixed at each station. Particularly,
automation was realized by using a cutter tool attached to a
multi-axis multi-joint robot arm which operates under an
established program for making incision of complicated trajectory
such as incision in longitudinal direction along the upper forelimb
bone `j` and incision at the thin meat part `m1` adhering on the
surface of the shoulder blade `k`.
[0151] As incision making at the lower forelimb bones `z` and
around the upper forelimb bone `j` are carried out by rotating the
clamping device 1 and the pair of meat separating members 310, 310
in synchronism with each other while the clamping device 1 is
lifted up, incision is made spirally. Therefore, biological tissue
such as tendons, etc. firmly adhering on the joint between the
lower forelimb bones `z` and upper forelimb bone `j` can be cut. As
the meat part is scraped by the pair of meat separating members
while making incision spirally around the lower forelimb bones `z`
and meat is scraped off from the upper forelimb bone `j` by the
meat scraper, meat does not clog on the pincer plates 310a of the
meat separating members, and scraping off of the meat around the
cutting lower forelimb bones `z` and upper forelimb bone `j` can be
completed by one operation.
[0152] As incision making is carried out after measurement of work
length to determine a lift amount of the work in correspondence
with the measured work length and an exertion of the round blade
cutter 330 from the cutter guard for an arbitral lift amount of the
work, occurrence of error in incision making due to difference in
size of individual work can be eliminated, as a result yield of
meat is increased and smooth incision is possible without loading
the round blade cutter 330 excessively with shearing force due to
scraping the meat when incision is while the work is moved up.
[0153] By carrying out shoulder blade removing operation in the
fourth to sixth stations by placing the work on the conveyor with
conveyor being stopped in each station, accurate incision along the
complicated surface profile of the shoulder blade can be made by
automatic de-boning operation.
[0154] Thus, almost all of de-boning operation of a pig arm part
meat block `W` was automated including incision making at the lower
forelimb bones, upper forelimb bone, and shoulder blade except for
a little work of preprocessing, resulting in that accurate incision
is made at the upper forelimb bone and shoulder blade, that remnant
meat on the bones is reduced resulting in remarkably increased
yield of meat.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0155] According to the invention, high level of automation is
attained in removing bones from arm part or thigh part meat block
of a carcass, and scraping of meat can be performed by one
continuous operation, so operation efficiency is drastically
increased. Further, accurate incision can be made resulting in
increased yield of meat.
* * * * *